Posted by Ken Westlund on March 2, 2006:

Brian and I went to High School together in Hampton, Virginia. We met in the Naval Junior ROTC program where Brian showed himself to be a natural leader even at the tender age of 15. He joined the Drill Team and took the team to many a successful competition. He was always level headed, optimistic, and jovial... just the kind of guy you always wanted to be around. He respected everyone, overlooked their excesses and accentuated and congratulated their positives. I left Kecoughtan High School because I needed more Math to make it into the Academy. I lost touch with Brian but heard that he and a few others from KHS made it into an academy, I just didn't know which one. After a grueling Beast Barracks, I stood in a formation of men that I knew nothing more about than I was to spend my next four years with them... randomly chosen and grouped... the forty of us stood there valiantly waiting our fate. Having our names called off alphabetically, I heard Brian's name and an immediate calm came over me knowing that not only did I have a friend in E-4, but a mentor who would become a great leader and a standard bearer for others to follow. Even more importantly, when he heard my name called, he straightened out his frame an extra half inch and I knew that he remembered me as well. Brian went on to excel at just about everything he tried with the exception of getting me to get over my fear of water and thus my ability to sail a sailboat on the Hudson River... not from his lack of trying though! Without a doubt, I knew he would be in the senior leadership of the Corps and eventually he fulfilled my expectations. I firmly believed upon graduation that he would be a general officer one day. Even more thrilling to me, was the knowledge that we would be in the 101st Airborne Air Assault Division as Lieutenants! Unfortunately, we went to separate brigades, which meant that we would have very little time to say more than hello, the times being the cold war and the deployment schedule was full and time consuming. My battalion went to the Sinai one year earlier than Brian's. We used the same airplanes he did one year later, the one that eventually killed him. Brian, true to form, got his company command the day before a restriction on 1LTs without the Advance Course being able to command. He deployed shortly thereafter. I am sure he was an excellent commander and brought joy to the dreary duty of watching the sand grow in the Sinai. My guess is that he also brought many a soldier to Jesus along the way. I believe he is in heaven now waiting for us to join him, alongside the rest of our fellow cadets, graduates and loved ones. I truly miss him, his great spirit, his leadership and his comraderie. I look forward to seeing him tapping his nose with his finger, telling me I can do better, and then shaking my hand with that massive paw of his. His mission on Earth is over... long may he prosper and grow in his mission in Heaven, a warrior for Christ, a servant to his country, and inspiration to us all.

admin